STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
STEM Education refers to the interrelated reform issues that pertain to teaching all 4 of these disciplines. As science teachers, some of us forget that the NSES explicitly state that science teachers should help students understand how scientists and engineers partner to solve problems or answer questions. Inquiry is to science as design is to engineers. In order for scientists to gather data, make measurements, and use quantitative reasoning, they must have a sound understanding of mathematics principles. And in order to help students master inquiry strategies, acquire information, visualize abstract images, and to collate/present data and findings, science teachers often use technological tools. These are just a few examples of how S, T, E, and M are interrelated in the science classroom.
Read Rodger Bybee's definition of STEM Education in this 2010 Science editorial.
Preston Middle School which is a STEM school had a great opportunity arise because of the work they do in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathamatics. Cargill is a science research company that has an office in Fort Collins. They have given money to Preston MS to do some really cool science. They even sent a half dozen of their scientist to the school every once in a while to help with the experiments. What I observed them doing was developing a strain of bacteria that glowed! Here is the website for cargill and some of their research: http://www.cargill.com/company/research-development/facilities/canola-innovation-center/index.jsp
Posted by: Scott O'Connor 16December2010
I've been pretty interested in working in STEM subjects, particularly in teaching GIS - "Geographic Information Systems" to students of all ages. I've read a few things from other teachers who have the same interest. One of the warnings I read was that GIS requires fairly sophisticated computers to use it, and the high school in question needed upgrades before they would work well with GIS. Because I want to work in Hawaii, on the island of Moloka'i, I was also concerned about this problem. Moloka'i is a small island with most of its inhabitants living in poverty. Just yesterday, I found out that the high school's internet system is so bad that any time a large number of students need to be on-line, like during standardized tests, they max out the system and no one else in their school OR the middle school can access the WWW. The same happens in the middle school - any time a lot of students use the internet, they shut down the rest of their school AND the high school as well. And the real kicker is that the math classes, the science classes, and some of the social studies classes have on-line text books. So, the result is that whenever the system gets maxed out, the math, science and social studies students can't access their text books, on-line guides, etc. Needless to say, my first goal as Moloka'i High School's new grant writer (I just got hired - yay!) is to get money to improve the internet infrastructure of the schools. Hm, I wonder how much of a challenge this will actually be. STEMming right ahead, and wish me luck.
I'll post updates if I ever manage to fix it.
Here is a link to ESRI's GIS in Education web site http://edcommunity.esri.com/
Getting Girls Involved With Technology and Design
It can be hard to get young girls involved in STEM. Something that could draw girls into technology is LilyPad electronics a company that produces sewable electronic pieces that can then be used in e-textiles. Not only do girls get to experience the design process but they also learn how to actually make circuits and can even learn how to program and code these circuits. This spring I worked with the organization Pretty Brainy to run a class for 4th and 5th grade girls using thisproduct. It was great! At the end of the class all of the girls were able to successfully create a circuit and a product they were proud of. Below I have provided LilyPad's website and Pretty Brainy's.
STEM Education refers to the interrelated reform issues that pertain to teaching all 4 of these disciplines. As science teachers, some of us forget that the NSES explicitly state that science teachers should help students understand how scientists and engineers partner to solve problems or answer questions. Inquiry is to science as design is to engineers. In order for scientists to gather data, make measurements, and use quantitative reasoning, they must have a sound understanding of mathematics principles. And in order to help students master inquiry strategies, acquire information, visualize abstract images, and to collate/present data and findings, science teachers often use technological tools. These are just a few examples of how S, T, E, and M are interrelated in the science classroom.
Read Rodger Bybee's definition of STEM Education in this 2010 Science editorial.
Preston Middle School which is a STEM school had a great opportunity arise because of the work they do in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathamatics. Cargill is a science research company that has an office in Fort Collins. They have given money to Preston MS to do some really cool science. They even sent a half dozen of their scientist to the school every once in a while to help with the experiments. What I observed them doing was developing a strain of bacteria that glowed! Here is the website for cargill and some of their research:
http://www.cargill.com/company/research-development/facilities/canola-innovation-center/index.jsp
Posted by: Scott O'Connor 16December2010
I've been pretty interested in working in STEM subjects, particularly in teaching GIS - "Geographic Information Systems" to students of all ages. I've read a few things from other teachers who have the same interest. One of the warnings I read was that GIS requires fairly sophisticated computers to use it, and the high school in question needed upgrades before they would work well with GIS. Because I want to work in Hawaii, on the island of Moloka'i, I was also concerned about this problem. Moloka'i is a small island with most of its inhabitants living in poverty. Just yesterday, I found out that the high school's internet system is so bad that any time a large number of students need to be on-line, like during standardized tests, they max out the system and no one else in their school OR the middle school can access the WWW. The same happens in the middle school - any time a lot of students use the internet, they shut down the rest of their school AND the high school as well. And the real kicker is that the math classes, the science classes, and some of the social studies classes have on-line text books. So, the result is that whenever the system gets maxed out, the math, science and social studies students can't access their text books, on-line guides, etc. Needless to say, my first goal as Moloka'i High School's new grant writer (I just got hired - yay!) is to get money to improve the internet infrastructure of the schools. Hm, I wonder how much of a challenge this will actually be. STEMming right ahead, and wish me luck.
I'll post updates if I ever manage to fix it.
Here is a link to ESRI's GIS in Education web site
http://edcommunity.esri.com/
Posted by Connie Taylor Uliasz, Nov. 30, 2012.
What does Colorado Department of Education say about STEM?
Go to
http://www.cde.state.co.us/stem/index.asp to find out.
Getting Girls Involved With Technology and Design
It can be hard to get young girls involved in STEM. Something that could draw girls into technology is LilyPad electronics a company that produces sewable electronic pieces that can then be used in e-textiles. Not only do girls get to experience the design process but they also learn how to actually make circuits and can even learn how to program and code these circuits. This spring I worked with the organization Pretty Brainy to run a class for 4th and 5th grade girls using thisproduct. It was great! At the end of the class all of the girls were able to successfully create a circuit and a product they were proud of. Below I have provided LilyPad's website and Pretty Brainy's.
Posted by Consuelo Reyes, May 3, 2014